The future is ripe for partnerships

It was amazing being at B2BMX two weeks ago. I always get a jolt of energy after being around so many amazing and creative marketing executives.

Everyone at the conference was interested in how to do more with less. As a partner pro, it was obvious that the solution was right in front of us: partner up.

It is a necessary strategy, and everyone at B2BMX was acting on it. Almost all out-of-conference activities (after-parties, breakfasts, etc.) were partnered. Chili Piper x Mutiny x MadKudu x G2 x Airmeet x Partnership Leaders threw a games night. Sendoso & Opensense hosted a breakfast. Uberflip & Usergems rented an aquarium for a networking event.

At the conference, I spoke with Oana Manolache, the CEO of Sequel.io, and she mentioned that of her multiple conversations with CMOs in the space, two themes emerged: Content as a priority, and doing more with less.

This is a clear indicator that getting valuable content, while also maximizing reach is a top strategic initiative. The way forward? Programs with partners.

It’s clear—the partnership approach is the only path forward for B2B. The old tactics aren’t working. We need to partner on events, on content, on product—we need to partner on everything.

When we partner up, we get 100% (or more!) of the benefits of our marketing and sales efforts for 50% of the cost.

Partnering also increases trust. One of the main reasons why buyers disengage from the sales process is because of a lack of trust and influence.

In fact, ​​72% of buyers would prefer a rep-free experience when making a purchasing decision & 79% of buyers want to ask a human a question during their buying journey. People don’t want to hear from salespeople or your company direct; they want to hear from your partners. So you need to partner up on any and all marketing activities.

In a down economy, it’s a no-brainer.

It should’ve been a no-brainer all along. It’s just a more efficient way to do business.

It’s a more human way to do business too.

But not everyone understands what it means to partner up and win.

How do you co-sell? How do you actually market together? How do you partner on events?

At nearbound.com, we’re seeking to educate the entire B2B SaaS space on how to do just that.

We’ve recently released The Ultimate Guide to Driving Revenue with Nearbound Sales.

We’ve also started 3 different newsletters to help you with the partnering motion:

• For creating content: The Ecosystem Creator Lab
• For partnered selling: Sell[ing] Together with Jessie Shipman
• For partner marketing: Market[ing] Together with Logan Lyles

They’re all killer pieces of content with tons of actionable advice.

Stay tuned for video interviews where you’ll hear marketing execs talk about why (and how) they are partnering up in 2023. Follow me here to watch those when they’re released.

And as always, partner with us as we seek to build a world where everyone in B2B can win together.

— Will Taylor

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